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Safeguarding West Bengal culture and advancing development

The RCCH Bengal web portal is a Rural Craft and Cultural Hub (RCCH) initiative, led by the Department of MSME&T, West Bengal, in partnership with UNESCO. This initiative focuses on reviving indigenous skills and nurturing art and craft-based entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.

By highlighting West Bengal's cultural richness, from the Himalayan landscapes to the Sundarbans, the portal showcases the region’s traditional crafts, festivals, oral traditions, and environmental practices. RCCH Bengal not only empowers artisans but also preserves and promotes the state’s cultural heritage, championing sustainability and inclusivity, with UNESCO bringing global recognition to these efforts.

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55450+ Total Artists
23739 Male
31703 Female (58% of the artists are women.)
35 Traditional craft and
performing arts

Spectacular Arts and Crafts

The vibrant heritage of West Bengal, crafted through generations of tradition, skill, and artistry.

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Gouri Rani Jana, Gouri Bala Das, Mithurani Jana from Sabang, Paschim Medinipur receives National Award

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A 12 member Chau dance team from Purulia, was invited to perform at ‘A Tapestry of Sacred Music’, organized by Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay, a cultural space located in Singapore’s Marina Bay

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Mangalakanta Roy, a 102-year-old Sarinda player from Jalpaiguri, being honoured with the Padma Shri award

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Development Roadmap of
Rural Craft & Cultural Hub (RCCH) Initiative

Since 2013, the Rural Craft & Cultural Hub (RCCH) initiative—a partnership between the Government of West Bengal and UNESCO—has transformed lives and communities. This timeline reflects a decade of empowering artisans, preserving heritage, and promoting sustainable livelihoods across the state’s rural regions.

  1. 2013- 2016
  2. 2016 – 2019
  3. 2022 - 2024
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    Initiation Phase

    2013- 2016
    • UNESCO and the Government of West Bengal initiated their partnership.
    • The collaboration aimed to highlight the economic viability and potential for sustainable development emerging from Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and traditional art forms in rural and remote areas of West Bengal, India.
    • The Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles (MSME&T) partnered with UNESCO to develop Rural Craft Hubs, covering 10 craft forms and involving 3000 artists.
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  2. Take off Phase

    2016- 2019
    • The success of the initial project led to the development of Rural Craft and Cultural Hubs.
    • These hubs covered 12000 artist beneficiaries across 15 art and craft forms.
    • The projects aimed at developing ICH-based entrepreneurship, sustaining art forms, improving the socio-economic conditions of artisans, and creating cultural tourism destination hubs.
    • More than 10 art forms have been safeguarded through these initiatives.
    • Previously, craftspeople were largely wage-based artisans with limited design, technology access, market linkages, and training. They have now become a more empowered and self-reliant community.
    • The income of craft artists has increased significantly, from an average of Rs 3000 to Rs 8000.
    • Performing artists, who had limited exposure and income, are now performing at district, state, and even international levels.
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    RCCH-II Project

    2022-2024
    • 5,755 artists/beneficiaries trained in ICH skills across 20 districts.
    • Training included skill assessment, ICH orientation, and advanced skill building for 3,417 artists.
    • Training of young Baul singers in studio recording, resulting in the release of an album called 'Parer Kandari' with 47 songs by 22 young artists.
    • Nearly 13,000 traditional practitioners engaged in basic skills training.
    • Expert involvement in 1,115 training days for performing artists and 82 workshops for craftsmen and weavers.
    • Advanced training covered material knowledge, production efficiency, design innovation, diversified product development, product costing, business skills, financial literacy, digital storytelling, and online marketing.
    • Development of 317 new products and a Catalogue related to handicraft and natural fibers.
    • Creation of high-quality products and product catalogues.
    • Business, financial, digital storytelling, and online marketing skills emphasized.

Bringing art and the people
who admire it closer.

ArtsCrafts

Environmental Initiative

The RCCH initiative, in partnership with UNESCO, promotes sustainability by weaving eco-friendly practices into traditional crafts. From using natural, biodegradable materials to employing low-impact crafting techniques, artisans in West Bengal are preserving both the environment and cultural heritage through responsible craftsmanship.

The project emphasizes both the sustainable focus and UNESCO's support for these environmental initiatives within the RCCH framework.

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Environmental Initiative

The biodiversity of the state of West Bengal is bountiful of different kinds of natural fibres that grow in different regions of the state. These plant and grass based fibres include bamboo, Sabai, Madurkathi, Sitalpati, Shola, Dhokra. The local communities have been using these fibres since the age-old times for making home utilities and even building houses.

Every fibre has some unique features associated with its strength, smoothness, density, colour, fragility that the user communities understand fully. They therefore process the fibres accordingly to get the desired materials to craft their products which showcase their cultural traditions as well.

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Upcoming Events and news

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Karukala Online

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Exploring Bengal’s Cultural Tapestry

Insights into the rich traditions, sustainable craftsmanship, and vibrant stories of West Bengal's artisans through the RCCH Initiative

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01.

Wonders of Bengali Cultural Hubspots

Get to know more about the Bengali art ecosystem

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02.

Journey into one-of-a-kind Art Forms

Discover the in-depth and real face of art through detailed information

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03.

Wonders of the skilled craftsmanship

Meet the community of skilled artisans hidden in the lanes of Bengal

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Women Empowerment

The RCCH initiative empowers women artisans in rural West Bengal by providing skill development, training, and access to broader markets. Through programs focused on traditional crafts like Kantha embroidery and terracotta sculpture, women gain the tools necessary for financial independence and entrepreneurship. This support not only strengthens their craft but also elevates their status within their communities.

By fostering entrepreneurship and offering business development training, RCCH enables women to thrive as both artisans and leaders. These efforts ensure that women become catalysts for change, driving social progress, preserving cultural heritage.

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Folk Art Centers

Folk Art Centres at the hubs serve as community centres for practising the art and promoting cultural tourism, including heritage tourism. These centres have permanent exhibitions of the local art and craft genres. They also offer accommodation and local cuisine, on request, for visitors.

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Folk Art Centre at Kushmandi in Dakshin Dinajpur – Wooden Mask & Mukha dance hub.

2018

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Dokra Folk Art Centre at Dariyapur, Bardhaman.

2019

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Sitalpati Folk Art Centre at Ghughumari in Cooch Behar.

2023

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Sitalpati Folk Art Centre at Ghughumari in Cooch Behar.

2023